Knitting frame for elastic fabric having unextensible zones



L. ROQUES Oct. 11, 1938.

KNITTING FRAME FOR ELASTIC FABRIC HAVING UNEXTENSIBLE ZONE Original Filed June 17, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheath 1 l/YVE/YTOK ,2. N

Mar/am ML ATToRflEy y lllll H Oct. 11,1938. RQQUES 2,132,971

KNITTING mm: FOR ELASTIC memo HAVING unsnmusmm zouzs Original Filed June 17, 1933 a Silesia-Sheet 2 I Q m 0' WW/142115? (Mp ATToRIYEXS Oct. 11, 1938. RQQUES'- 2,132,971

KNITTING FRAME FOR ELASTIC FABRIC HAVING QNEXTENS IBLE ZONES Original Filed Jun e 17, 1953 s Sheets-Sheet 3 m mw%lhy AT RNE 1;?

Patented Oct. 11, 1938 UNlTED STATES amo'u' PA-TENT OFFICE-- KNITTING FRAME FOR- ELAS'IIC FABRIC HAVING UNEXTENSIBLE ZONES Louis mus, Paris, France, asslgnor to Loni: Roques ct Georges Arracheguelne, Paris, France, a corporation of France Original application Jnnel'l, 1933," Serial. No.

676,277, Patent No.

2,076,350. Divided all this application December 1, 1934, Serial No. 7 755,551. Inlrance June. 20, 1932 a 10 Claims. (Otto-12s) ''1 'he present application is a division of appli-, cation Ser. No. 676,277, filed .June 17th 1933,

since eventuating in Patent No. 2,076,350 wherein is described a new product of a knitted, netted or textile nature with'elasticity afforded in one direction. "I'he present application is for the improved knitting frames for manufacturing the product described in said Patent No. 2,076,350.

, Theimprovements'according to the invention are to render an ordinary knitting machine applicable for knitting the kind of fabric object of my above indicated co-pending application, while maintaining the automatic character-of the operation, without any appreciable supplemental product may be solid and have perfect appearance and that the cost of -said product may be sufiiciently low for permitting an extended sale the fabric; to maintain substantially the general appearance of an ordinary elastic knittedfabric or the like; to secure simplicity of construction and of the means and method of manufacture; and to obtain other advantages and results as may be brought out in the following description.

For this purpose the knitting machine is provided with a special auxiliary thread guide or tube holder adapted to deliver the auxiliary inelastic thread, said tube holder beingreciprocated (like the tube holder delivering the thread of the knitting and the elastic weft thread), said reciprocating movement beinglimited by two stops which may be set at will in order that the non-elastic parts of the fabric may receive the desired. position and width.

1. It has been observed that, for obtaining articles having no imperfections the elastic weft-- thread and the auxiliary inelastic thread should not be inserted simultaneously between both rows 55 of needles of the knitting machinejbut that it working to the usual article, so that the final was Dreferableto throwin the auxiliary inelastic thread before the elastic weft thread; the auxiliary inelastic thread, comes thus to lie first over the last row of knitted loops and the' elastic weft thread comes then to its position in advance of (or behind) the auxiliary inelastic thread and exactly parallel to the latter without any risk of intermixing with it at any moment; the machine then effects the formation of a new row of loops which thus unites the. elastic weft thread and the auxiliary inelastic thread in that portion of the fabric in which the latter has been placed by the special tube holder.

For realizing said advance of the auxiliary or special thread tube holder relatively to the tube holder for, the elastic thread, which advance forms one characteristic .of the invention, the special thread tube holder is actuated by two auxiliary tubes mounted onthe movable carriage, which carries the locks of the machine on both sides of the tube adapted to actuate the tube holder for the elastic 'thread; during one of the strokes of the carriage, one of the auxiliary tubes acts on the special thread tube holder and shifts it forward with a certain advance relatively to the tube holderfor the elastic thread, while dur- .ing the'other stroke of the carriage the other auxiliary tube acts and shifts the special thread tube holder always with a certain advance.

The special thread tubeholder delivering the thread must be able, when stopped, to let pass freely the tube holders delivering the, knitting thread and the elastic weft thread in order to ensure without trouble a normal operation of the knitting machine. For this purpose said special or auxiliary tube holder is made of a certain-degree of elasticity so' that it may yield during the passage of the other tube holders. But it may 'occur that this yielding of the special tube holder will not always be obtained exactly at the same plane; the special tube holder could be slightly set-oil on one or the other side and then strike against one of the needles of the knitting machine which could thus break or be otherwise damaged. In view of I avoiding said inconvenience, it will be advantageous to stop the special I tube holder delivering the auxiliary thread on the division provided for a needle and to render said needle inoperative in each Said special tube holder can then yield always during the passage of the other tube holders without any risk of striking against a needle.

This arrangement of the special tube holder which'is always stopped opposite the place of a needle which has been rendered inoperative is not indispensable but it can form another characteristic of the invention; the simple consideration of a piece of knitted fabric shows immediately that said piece has been made with a knitting machine or any" other machine comprising said characteristic feature.

The appended drawings are diagrammatic representations of a present preferred form of for the tube holder,

Fig. 6 is a frontelevation of the stop mem= ber,

.Fig. 7 is an inverted plan view of the stop member,

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of one of the auxiliary tubes,

Fig. 9 is a vertical cross-section through the same; and, a 7 t. llig. '10 is a front elevation of said auxiliary In said drawings A is the frame of an ordinary flat knitting machine the needle beds of which are designated by B; C is the movabte carriage carrying the locks, D and E the tube holders delivering the elastic weft thread and the knitting thread respectively.

On a bar I, the cross-section of which is shown in Figure 3 and which comprises a-rack 2 and a dove-tail slide rail 3, slides a driver 4 (see Figures 3 and 4) carrying a member 5 on which is mounted, through a spring blade 6, the clam ing nose 1 of the auxiliary or special thmad inserting tube 8; t is a thread guide provided with a hole It) for the passage of the auxiliary or special inelastic.

Furthermore the driver 4 carries a tilter H pivotally mounted at l2 and provided with a notch II at each end; said tilter II is provided with recesses l3 in which arearranged balls l3, which are pushed constantly against the wall of the driver 4, by means of springs l4.

On the bar I are mounted, also slidably arranged, two stops l5 (seethe detail Figures 5, 6 and 7 which may be stopped at any desired point of the length of said bar by means or a movable index l6 resting between the teeth of the rack 2 and actuated by a push button II (the outer-head of which is knurled") against the action of a return spring l8.

I9 is an arrow marking the position of the stop along the bar l;-2I is a spring blade secured to or integral with the stop and the cog 25 of which engages one of the notches 22 of the driver 4 at the end of the strokes. The workman has only to press onto the push button I! for releasn the movable index l6 from the teeth of the rack 2 and permitting it to shift the stop l5 'and bring the latter to another position on the bar I in order to obtain any new desired position and any new desired width for the required non-elastic part of the knitted fabric.

The teeth of the rack 2 correspond to the gauge of the machine and each position given to one or both stops l5 corresponds to a position of the driver 4 at the end of its stroke in which the thread inserting tube 8 is exactly in the vertical alignment'of a needle of the rnachine.

The driver 4 is shifted through two auxiliary tubes 23-23 mounted on the movable carriage C. Each such tube comprises (see detail Figures 8, 9 and 10) a spring piston 24 which comes to rest into one of the notches ll of the tilter ii and pushes the notch forward and therefore aiso the tilter when the workman acts on the carriage C in the ordinary manner by means of the handle F. When the driver E comes against the stroke limiting stop. IS, the rounded back ll" of theether end (or fore end) of the tilter comes to riage C may continue its stroke until the loopshave been formed on the whole length of the fabric which comprises 'elastie parts on each side of a non-elastic part (in an elastic waist-band for example).

When the carriage C is returned in the opposite direction by the workman, the other tube (23 or 23') acts on the notch H of the lowered branch. of the tilter II and pushes the latter together with the driver against the other stop IS; the fore. branch of the tilter is then also lowered against the cut edge 25 of said stop. which thus releases the piston 24 from the tube 23 or 23' and permits the carriage C to continue its stroke and pass over the driver 4 which is stopped.

Obviously it is easy, according to the present invention, to transform an ordinary fiat knitting machine of any type in order to render'the same capable of making pieces of elastic fabric-comprising a non-elastic part.

Said improvements to a flat machine according to the invention do not interfere with the normal operation of the machine which can be set at will, without any taking off of its members, for making either entirely elastic fabrics in the ordinary manner, or elastic fabrics comprising non-elastic parts according to the invention.

For passing from the manufacture of the elastic fabric comprising an unextensible part to the manufacture of elastic fabric without unextensible part, it suflices to push one of the stops i 5 to one end of the needle bed on the one or on the other side together with the thread inserting tube 8; in fact the knitting machine generally comprises at each end of the same a neutral part without needle, so that shifting is possible. e

What I claim is:

1. In a machine for forming a. knit elastic fabric having a looped thread and'an elastic thread passing through the loops of said looped thread, and in combination with a knitting mechanism including a reciprocatory carriage and means operated thereby for 'inlaying the elastic thread in the loopsof the looped thread throughoutthe length of the fabric, of means operated by the carriage in the fabric forming action for 5 passing an inelastic thread in parallel relation with the elastic thread through the loops of the looped thread, and means cperabie to throw the latter-named means into and out of action at predetermined points in the travel of the car-' 2. In a machine for forming an elastic fabric to tending elastic thread passing through the loops of said looped thread, a knitting mechanism including a reciprocatory carriage operating in the fabric forming action for an inelastic thread parallel with the-elastic thread through the loops of the looped thread within a predeand an elastic weft thread, a t'ube holder for an inextensible thread to be inserted in the loops of the knitting thread in advance of the elastic thread, two auxiliary tubes on the movable carriage, said latter tubes actuating the tube holder I tinuous elastic fabric having an inelastic portion,

the combination with a knitting mechanism for forming a looped thread, and including a thread guide for inlaying an elastic thread in the loops of the looped thread throughout the length of the fabric of an auxiliary thread guide for inlaying an inelastic thread in the loops of the looped thread in parallel relation to and simultaneously with the inlaying of the elastic thread therein by the elastic guide, a reciprocatory carriage for simultaneously moving said guides, and means for throwing said auxiliary thread guide into and outvof action at spaced points between the limits'of opposite carriage strokesindependently of the action of the elastic'thread guide, whereby to inlay the auxiliary inextensible thread with the elastic thread in the loops of a predetermined portion of the fabric only, said means comprising a tilting engaging device on the carriage having opposite extending engaging arms,

spaced engaging members on the carriage arranged on opposite sides of the auxiliary thread guide for engagement with the respective arms of the tilting engaging device, and stop devices arranged at predetermined points on opposite sides of the carriage in the direction of its strokes,

, of engagement with said am and to shift the the fabric of an auxiliary thread guide for inlayinganinelasticthreadintheloopsofthe machine for knittinga con-- looped thread in parallel relation to and simultaneously with the inlaying of the elastic thread therein by the elastic thread guide, a reciproca;

tory can'iage for simultaneously moving said guides, and means for throwing said auxiliary thread guide into and out of action at spaced points between the limits of opposite carriage strokes independently of the action of the elastic thread guide, whereby to inlay the auxiliary inextensible thread with the elastic thread in the loops of a predetermined portion of the fabric only, said means comprising a tilting engaging device on the carriage having ppo te extending engaging arms, spaced engaging members on the carriage arranged on oppositesides of the auxiliary thread guide for engagement with the respective arms of the tilting engaging device, means for holding said tilting engaging device in shifted position with one or the other of its arms in position to be engaged by an engaging member on the carriage, and stop devices arranged at predetermined points on opposite sides of the carriage in the direction of its strokes, said stop de vices operating to tilt the engaging device toshift the arm thereof which is in engagement with an engaging member on the carriage in one stroke direction of the carriage out of engagement with said arm and to shift the other arm I of said engaging device into position to be enaged by the other engaging member on the carriage in the opposite stroke direction of the carriage.

6. In a knitting machine for knitting a continuous elastic fabric having an inelastic portion, the combination with a knitting mechanism for forming a looped thread, and including a thread guide for 'inlaying an elastic thread in the loops of the looped thread throughoutthe length of the, fabric of an auxiliary thread guide for inlaying an inelastic thread in the loops of the'looped thread in parallel relation to and simultaneously with the inlaying of the elastic thread therein by the elastic thread guide, a reciprocatory carriage for simultaneously moving said guides, and means forthrowing said auxiliary thread guide into and out of action at spaced points between the limits of opposite carriage strokes independently of the action of the elastic thread guide, whereby to inlay the auxiliary inextensible'thread with the elastic thread in the loops of a predetermined portion of the fabric only. 5 d means comprising a tilting engaging device on the carriage having oppositely extending engag ng arms, yieldingly mounted spring pressed engaging members on the carriage arranged on opposite sides of the auxiliary thread guide for engagement with the respective arms of the tilting engaging device, and stop devices arranged atvpredetermined points on opposite sides of the carriage in. theiv direction of its strokes, said stop devices-operating to tilt the engaging device to shift the arm thereof which is in engagement with an engaging member on the 'carriage in one stroke direction of the carriage out of engagement with said arm and to shift the other arm of said en aging device into position to be engaged by the other member on ,the carriage in the opposite stroke direction of the carriage.

-7. In a knitting machine for knitting a continuous elastic fabric having an inelastic portion,

' the combination with a knitting mechanism for forming a looped thread, and including a thread guide for inlaying an elastic thread invthe loops of the loopedthradthroughoutthelength of the an inelastic thread in the loops of the looped thread in parallel relation to and simultaneously with the inlaying of the elastic thread therein by the elastic thread guide, a reciprocatory carriage for simultaneously moving said guides, and means for throwing said auxiliary thread guide into and out of action at spaced points between the limits of opposite carriage strokes independently of the action of the elastic thread guide, whereby to inlay the auxiliary inextensible thread with the elastic thread in the loops of a predetermined portion of the fabric only, said means comprising a tilting engaging device on the carriage having opposite extending engaging arms provided with inclined end portions having notches, spaced I engaging members on the carriage arranged on opposite sides of the auxiliary-thread guide for engagement with the notches of the respective arms of the-tilting engaging device, and stop devices arranged at predetermined points on opposite sides of the carriage in the directionof its strokes, said stop devices having resilient guide members to engage the ends of the coacting arms of the tilting engaging device and inclined sur- 'faces to engage the inclined surfaces of said arms and operating to tilt the engaging device to shift the arm thereof which is in engagement with an engaging member on the carriage in one stroke direction of the carriage out of engagement with said arm and to shift the other arm of said engaging device into position to be engaged by the other engaging member in the opposite stroke direction of the carriage.

8. In a knitting machine for knitting a continuous elastic fabric having an inelastic portion, the combination with a knitting mechanism for forming longitudinally extending looped threads, and a thread guide for inlaying an elastic thread in the loops of the looped thread throughout the fabric of a rack bar having teeth spaced in 'gaged relation to the needles of the knitting mechanism, an auxiliary inelastic thread guide movable. with the elasticthread guide for inlaying an inelastic thread in the loops of the looped thread with the inlaying of an elastic thread therein by the elastic thread guide, a reciprocatory carriage for simultaneously moving said thread guides,

engaging members on the inelastic thread guide and carriage connectible and disconnectible for coupling said guide to and uncoupling it from the carriage for movements with the carriage on each riage in the reverse direction, said stop devices guide is discontinued.

having members for locking engagement with selected teeth of the rack gaged with respect to certain needles, whereby indicated needles may be removed or rendered inactive at points determining the end margins of the inelastic portion formed by the inlaying of the inelastic thread.

9. The combination with a knitting mechanism for knitting a continuous elastic fabric having an inelastic portion, said fabric being formed of a looped thread and an elastic thread inlaid in the .loops of the looped thread, and said mechanism including a guide for elastic thread, of means coacting with said guide for inlaying an inelastic thread in the loops of the looped thread parallel with the elastic thread along a predetermined portion of the fabric, said means comprising an auxiliary guide for the inelastic thread 60- operating with the elastic thread guide to simultaneously inlay said threads, a reciprocating carriage for moving said guides simultaneously for such inlaying of the threads, and means for disconnecting the inelastic thread guide from the carriage at predetermined points in the travel of .elastic thread guide for continued independent inlaying of the elastic thread in the further travel of the carriage means is permitted.

10. The combination with a knitting mechanism for knitting a continuous elastic fabric having an inelastic portion, said fabric being formed of a thread having rows of loops and an elastic thread inlaid in .the loops of the looped thread, and said mechanism including a guide for elastic thread, of means coacting with said guide for inlaying an inelastic thread parallel with the elastic thread in the loops of the looped thread along the predetermined portion of the fabric, said means comprising an auxiliary guide for the inelastic thread arranged in advance of and cooperating with the elastic thread guide to simultaneously inlay said threads, a carriage means for moving said guides simultaneously for such inlaying of the threads, means for disconnecting the inelastic thread guide from the carriage at a predetermined point in its travel for discontinuing the travel of said inelastic thread guide and the inlaying of the elastic thread, whereby the continued movement of the/elastic thread guide for continued independent-inlaying of the thread is permitted, and, a resilient mounting for the auxiliary guide adapting said guide to be engaged by and moved out of the path of the elastic thread guide in the continued travel of the elastic thread guide when the travel of the inelastic thread LOUIS ROQUES. 

